Improvement in combined dating and canceling stamps



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFToE JOSEPH J. S-CHCLFIELD, OF SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH TERRITORY.

IMPROVEMENT IN COMBINED DATING AND CANCELING STAMPS.

Speciication forming part of Letters Patent N o. 176,075, dated April 11, 1876; application filed February 5, 1876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH JAY SCHOL- FIELD, of Salt Lake City and county of Salt Lake, in the Territory of Utah, have invented a new and Improved Combined Stamp and Stamp-Canceler; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation 5 Fig. 2, a vertical section; Fig. 3, a detail of the bearingplate H.

My inventionrelates to an improved combined hand-stamp and stamp-canceler, designed to stamp the post-mark upon the letter and cancel the stamp with one and the same impression, and to so cancel the stamp by discoloration and tearing ot' the fiber as to obviate the subsequent washiu g and reusing ofthe postage-stamp.

My invention consists in the particular construction of a postmarking-stamp and a canceling-stamp made in one and the same piece, in combination with a vertically-moving han-` dle, held up by a spring, which handle is provided with a laterally-attached and interiorly screw-threaded tube or sleeve, which, passing down over a screw-threaded shaft carrying the canceling-disk, causes the latter to revolve 5 which disk, being provided with a series ot' sharp pins, tears a series of concentric circles and blots the postage-stamp at the same stroke at which the post-mark is made.

In the drawing, A represents the postmarking-stamp, and B the sleeve or frame carrying the canceling devices, both made in one and the same piece, and united ata. C is a shaft or standard, which is attached to the postl'narking-stamp below and passes up into the hollow handle D. Said shaft is provided with a collar, b, and the continuation of the shaft above it is of a smaller diameter, so as to give room for the spiral spring E. Said spring bears at one end against the collar b of the shaft C, and presses above against the upper end of the handle, so as to hold the latter up and away from the stamping devices. The upper portion of the handle D is made detachable from the lower portion D', to admit of the insertion of the spring, and is screwed into the said lower portion. The lower por tion D is constructed in one and the same piece with an offset, o, and a vertical interiorly screw-threaded tube or sleeve, F. G is a short vertical shaft, parallel with shaft C, having its upper end in the tube F and its lower end in the stamp-canceling portion of the device. Said shaft has its upper end screw-threaded to mesh with the interiorly screw-threaded tube, so that when the tube is depressed, together with the handle, the shaft Gr is made to revolve. Upon the lower portion of the said shaft is arranged a collar, d, rigidly attached thereto, around which are disposed two semi-cylindrical bearing-plates, H H, having recesses e e, which tit the collar upon the shaft. These plates are fastened in the frame B by means of a set-screw, f, which enters the recesses g gat the junction of the two plates, so as to hold the plates rigidly and allow the shaft to swivel therein. Upon the lower end ot' shaft Gr is constructed a rigid disk, I, carrying upon its face a series of sharp pin-points, Z, arranged in the form of concentric circles, and j ust above said disk is another loose disk, J, which holds the pins down and prevents them from comingout, and yet permits of the introduction of new pins when required.

The operation of this improved stamp and stamp-canceler is as follows: The device is lirst pressed upon the hiking-surface, and the letter then struck with the same, so as to bring the canceling` portion of the device over the stamp. As soon as the face of the stamp strikes the paper an impression of the postmark is made in ink, and the postage-stamp blackened and defaced by the end of shaft G, and the rings i formed upon the lower outer edge of the portion B. At the same time, also, the spring E is compressed, and the han dle D D', with the tube F, descends with its screw-threads upon the screw of shaft Gr, and as the latter cannot move longitudinally on account of its collar it revolves witltits pincarrying disk, and scratches and cuts the postage-stamp with a series of concentric circles, thus rendering the subsequent washing and using ofthe stamp impossible.

In'constructiug and putting together my devices the spiral spring is tirst placed around the central shaft and thehollow handle screwed on. The bearing-plates are then fitted around the shaft G, and the latter with its disks inserted into its position through the bottom opening` of the frame B, and the Whole then xed and held inv position by the bindingscrew.

I am aware of the fact that an annular serrated or toothed edge revolved by a spiral groove or screw-thread is not new in canceling-stamps 5 but this construction cuts out a perfect ring of the paper, which adheres to the stamp, and renders it inoperative, and I, therefore, disclaim this construction, and conline this feature of my invention to adisk car.- ryingpin-points, arranged as described, which device is self-clearing and is not open to the objectionable adherence of the paper, which soon renders the device impracticable.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is 1. The combined simultaneously acting stampand stampcanceling device, consisting of the combination ot'stamp A, ri gidly-attach ed shaft C, having;` collar b, the spiral` spring E, hollow detachable handle D D', the interiorly screw-threaded tube F, made in one piece with D', and the screw-threaded shaft G, carrying,` a rotary canceling device, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with the interiorly screw/threaded tube F, attached to the Verti- 

